


A Broken Hand

by sillypeppers



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Episode Fix-It: s01e06 Rare Species, Feelings Realization, Feral Jaskier | Dandelion, Gen, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pre-Relationship, Slightly - Freeform, Soft Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Soft Jaskier | Dandelion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:21:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27013432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sillypeppers/pseuds/sillypeppers
Summary: Imagine the scene on the mountain with Jaskier punching Geralt instead of walking away.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 15
Kudos: 289





	A Broken Hand

**Author's Note:**

> It's the first time I write something for a fandom so I'm both excited and incredibly shy about it. It's a short story but I hope that you enjoy regardless!

Imagine the scene on the mountain after Yennefer left and Geralt has just finished lashing out at the only person he's got left standing by him.

Now imagine Jaskier punching Geralt instead of walking away, probably breaking his hand but _still_ not backing down in his fury because, "That's not fair! You can't blame every bad choice you've made on me just because I was there! How dare you?"

And Geralt takes a step back. Not because the punch hurt but because he's surprised Jaskier would talk back to him when every other bad time the bard has been placid and tried to avoid direct confrontation with him. Geralt frowns and snarls and tackles Jaskier down and they wrestle in the dirt, Jaskier hissing and spitting and probably kicking Geralt in the balls.

Suddenly (but not surprisingly) Geralt is pinning him to the ground by the wrists, sitting on Jaskier's chest and yells, "Why do you even care, bard? Why are you still even here?"

Jaskier, misty eyed, broken hand and furious yells back, "Because if not me then who? Who will make sure you're okay and not alone and taking care of yourself you dumb bitch."

And Geralt... He did not think it was about this—about _him_. He frowns, confused, and without thinking rumbles out, "I need no one."

Jaskier closes his eyes, swallowing back the tears he so desperately wants to spill for this dumb wreck of a man and replies with a tight voice, "And have you ever thought that there might be people out there that _want_ you to need them?"

Geralt scoffs and says "Who would ever—" but stops when he sees the look in Jaskier's eyes, bright with unspilled tears, still here after everything. After the djinn almost killed him. After being pushed away time and time again. After, Geralt realizes, spending _twenty years_ by his side, coming back to Geralt every time. The only person not bound to him by Destiny, but by choice. Isn't that saying something? 

Geralt is speechless. Jaskier frees his unbroken hand from under Geralt's now slack grip and lifts it to the witcher's face finding his cheek and resting there. He says, somehow both soft and firm,

"I would. I'm still here. You don't have to do everything alone. Stop," his voice gets tight again, his eyes pinch closed as if he's in pain, "trying to push me away Geralt, it's not gonna work. It already hasn't."

Geralt is dumbstruck. They stay there, Geralt pinning Jaskier down for what feels like hours. He doesn't know what to do. What does he have to say to that? Is he really that desperate to walk the Path alone? Isn't that how it's supposed to be? How it's always been? But on the other hand things can change, right? It's the way of the world. But to keep endangering Jaskier—

"It's my decision," Jaskier croaks, interrupting Geralt's train of thought as if he had been privy to it. "I've made my choice and it's always going to be you."

Geralt stares at him, gears turning in his head. It's then he realizes he's still sitting on Jaskier's chest, and is probably suffocating him. He scrambles to get up and Jaskier follows, albeit more slowly. Geralt reaches out to help him up without thinking, grabbing him by both arms when Jaskier stumbles to the side a little. Now this is the part where Geralt would've let go, and yet he hasn't. Doesn't want to.

They stand there a long while just looking into each other, wind and dirt rustling their hair. After what feels like an eternity Geralt drops his eyes to the ground and his shoulders sag like a house collapsing, unbearably exhausted like he hasn't felt in decades, still holding on to Jaskier just to stay upright.

That's when Geralt catches sight of Jaskier's rapidly swelling hand. He absently wonders what he has in his pack to treat it… how long until the bard can play again? It was a really strong punch, he hopes he didn't damage it permanently— Geralt rests his forehead against Jaskier's shoulder, having come to some kind of gentle realization but only managing to rasp out, "I'm sorry about your hand."

Jaskier tenses up and suddenly Geralt is afraid he has once again said the wrong thing and ruined everything. Jaskier starts shivering but Geralt is not brave enough to let go and look up to comfort him, only to find out moments later that Jaskier is trying to hold back laughter. The bard's arms come to wrap tightly around the Witcher's back, his uninjured hand reaching up to cup Geralt's head where it rests on his shoulder. Geralt still doesn't understand but he's relieved that there's laughter and not sobs coursing through Jaskier.

"You dumb, idiot Witcher." Once he's stopped laughing, he cups Geralt's face and lifts it up to eye level, their foreheads gently meeting. Geralt can't completely decipher the look in Jaskier's eyes, but he's glad it's not the fury and sadness that he saw earlier. He sighs and closes his eyes, resting there feeling drained. He feels Jaskier's calloused fingers travel up from his cheek to pull a strand of hair behind his ear, then making their way down to his jaw. Jaskier sighs a sigh of his own and gently pats Geralt's cheek.

"Let's get down this damn mountain," Jaskier whispers. He breaks the moment and steps back cradling his injured hand close to his chest. "You still have to fix my hand," he says airily. Frozen in place Geralt looks at his retreating back. Jaskier takes a couple more steps before turning and declaring, "We're still not done with this conversation, by the way, but I'd like it better if we do it with a roof over our heads, after a hot meal and a long bath." There is a long pause while the bard waits until Geralt starts moving. He then waits until the Witcher reaches him.

After that they make their long trek down the mountain side by side.

**Author's Note:**

> This was born out of a thread on twitter so that's why it's written the way it is. If you notice any mistakes please let me know :-)


End file.
